Roberta Aguirre
Bradley International Airport (BDL) is a public international airport located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. It is the second-largest airport in New England and is owned and operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority. The airport is easily accessible and sits approximately halfway between Hartford, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts, serving travellers from Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and other New England states.
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What You'll Learn
Bradley International Airport is in Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Bradley International Airport is the second-largest airport in New England and is owned and operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA). It is the busiest commercial airport in Connecticut, with over 6.75 million passengers in 2019. The airport is also a dual-use military facility, housing the Connecticut Air National Guard and the 103rd Airlift Wing of the US Air Force.
The airport's history dates back to 1941 when the State of Connecticut acquired 1,700 acres of farmland from Windsor Locks to build a military airbase for World War II. The airfield was named Bradley Field in honour of Second Lieutenant Eugene M. Bradley, a 24-year-old pilot who died during a training exercise. During the war, Bradley Field served as a training base for air combat and a staging area for troops being deployed overseas.
Bradley International Airport has undergone several expansions and improvements over the years, including the addition of the East Concourse in 2002 and the International Arrivals Building in 2002, enhancing its reputation as a convenient travel hub. The airport is currently served by various airlines, offering nonstop flights to more than 40 destinations worldwide.
With its convenient location, historical significance, and continuous development, Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, plays a crucial role in facilitating travel and connecting people from across the region and beyond.
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It is the second-largest airport in New England
Bradley International Airport (IATA: BDL, ICAO: KBDL, FAA LID: BDL) is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. It is approximately 20 to 30 minutes from Hartford, Connecticut's capital city, and is situated between New York and Boston. The airport is the second-largest in New England and is the busiest commercial airport in Connecticut.
Bradley International Airport's history dates back to 1941 when the State of Connecticut acquired 1,700 acres of farmland from Windsor Locks. The land was leased to the federal government to establish a military air base as the United States entered World War II. The airfield was named after 24-year-old Lt. Eugene M. Bradley, who died in a training exercise. During the war, the base served as a training centre for air combat and a staging area for troops being deployed.
Over the years, the airport has undergone expansions and improvements, including the addition of the East Concourse and a new International Arrivals Building in 2002. The airport is home to several cargo airlines and aviation services, and it serves as a base for the Connecticut Army and Air National Guard. Bradley International Airport is also one of only 68 airports worldwide that can accommodate the Airbus A380.
The airport is easily accessible, with public transportation options such as bus and rail services connecting it to nearby cities. The Connecticut Airport Authority manages Bradley International Airport and aims to strengthen its route network, modernise the passenger experience, and drive further growth.
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The airport is home to the New England Air Museum
Bradley International Airport is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. The airport is home to the New England Air Museum, which is located on the airport's grounds. The museum is dedicated to showcasing the history of aviation and the genius behind it, as well as its impact on our lives. It is an ideal place to visit for anyone fascinated by aviation, with a vast collection of aircraft, engines, instruments, and other flight-related artefacts.
The New England Air Museum (NEAM) is an American aerospace museum with three large hangars for displays and additional space for storage and restoration. The museum's collection includes a wide range of aircraft, from early flying machines to supersonic jets. Some notable aircraft in the collection include the Silas Brooks balloon basket, the oldest American-built aircraft still in existence, and the Sikorsky VS-44A, the only remaining American-built commercial trans-oceanic flying boat. The museum also boasts an extensive library with thousands of books, periodicals, technical manuals, photographs, and other media related to aviation.
The museum's beginnings can be traced back to a group of Pratt & Whitney employees who formed the Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association to preserve a biplane crafted by Louis Bancroft. Despite the plane being destroyed in a fire, the group persevered. The museum's first physical structure, an inflatable dome, was constructed in 1967. The current building was erected in 1981 after a tornado damaged the previous outdoor location in 1979. Over the years, the museum has expanded with the addition of several hangars, including a restoration hangar, a military hangar, and a 58th Bomb Wing Hangar.
The New England Air Museum continues to evolve, with plans announced in early 2024 for a new 35,000-square-foot hangar. This new space will feature a Challenger Learning Center and a digital dome that will serve as a planetarium. The museum also offers unique event spaces, allowing people to host weddings, birthdays, conferences, and other special occasions surrounded by the captivating backdrop of historic aircraft. The museum is a popular attraction, as evidenced by its TripAdvisor reviews, which praise its educational value and entertaining exhibits.
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It is easy to locate and access
Bradley International Airport is easy to locate and access. It is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, approximately 20 to 30 minutes from Hartford, Connecticut's capital city. The airport is accessible by road, with clear driving directions provided on its website for travellers coming from the east, west, south, or north.
For those using public transportation, there is a dedicated bus service, the 30-Bradley Flyer, that connects the airport with downtown Hartford. This bus provides semi-express, direct service to the Connecticut Convention Centre and Union Station in Hartford. The trip takes approximately 30 minutes and operates every 40 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, with reduced frequency during early mornings, late nights, and on Sundays. The bus stop is located at Terminal A's baggage claim/arrivals level, door #6, and is marked as "Local Buses/CTtransit."
In addition to the bus service, there is also a rail option for travellers. The closest train station to Bradley International Airport is in Windsor Locks, just three miles away, and is accessible via the Route 24 Bus Service. The Hartford Line rail service offers daily travel between New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, MA, with convenient connections to other rail services in New Haven.
Bradley International Airport is also home to the New England Air Museum, making it a destination in itself for aviation enthusiasts. The airport's convenient location and accessibility by road and public transportation make it a popular choice for travellers seeking hassle-free air travel in the Northeast.
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The airport is named after Lt. Eugene M. Bradley
Bradley International Airport is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. The airport is named after 2nd Lt. Eugene M. Bradley, a 24-year-old native of Antlers, Oklahoma, who was killed in a plane crash on August 21, 1941.
Bradley was a member of the U.S. Army and served as a pilot during World War II. He was survived by his wife and unborn child. The airfield, then known as Windsor Locks Army Air Field, came under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army in 1941 after the land was acquired from the State of Connecticut. On January 20, 1942, the airfield was officially renamed in honour of Lt. Bradley.
Newspaper reports from the time, such as The Boston Post and The Boston Globe, provide details of Lt. Bradley's death and the subsequent renaming of the airfield. According to these reports, Lt. Bradley's plane crashed at the airfield in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and the army base was later named after him.
The wreck site of Lt. Bradley's plane was determined to be under Runway 33 of Bradley International Airport. The runway was extended in the 1960s to accommodate jet airliners, and the site was unknowingly paved over. Researchers and investigators examined various state and military records, aerial photographs, newspaper collections, and other sources to gather information about the crash.
Today, Bradley International Airport is Connecticut's busiest commercial airport and the second-busiest airport in New England. It serves as a gateway to the region and is known for its ease of access and hassle-free travel experience.
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Frequently asked questions
Bradley International Airport is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
Bradley Airport is approximately 20 to 30 minutes from Hartford, Connecticut's capital city.
The airport is accessible from Hartford via the Hartford Line rail service, which offers daily travel between New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, MA. The closest station to Bradley Airport is in Windsor Locks, only three miles away.
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